Blind Judging: your name must not appear on the work we give to the jurors. Please do not include your name on the writing you submit. Your name should only appear on the submission form.

Professionally Published Authors may submit in 2 of the 3 categories: Poetry, Fiction, Creative Non-Fiction

Published authors should not submit to Off-the-Radar

Off-the-Radar and Young Writers please submit:

One poem OR

One piece of Fiction OR

One piece of Literary Non-Fiction

The fourth annual Short Works Prize will be awarded in five categories:

Published poetry, Fiction and Creative Non-Fiction — For published works: your poem, short story, or short essay must have appeared in a magazine, journal, or as part of a multi-authored book in 2016. Published authors may submit to two categories; one piece only per category. Anyone who won a cash prize in 2016 should not enter in any category in 2017.

Off-the-Radar for Unpublished Writers over the age of 20 — If you have never been published, you may submit one poem or one short story or one piece of Creative Non-Fiction. Anyone who won a cash prize in 2016 should not enter in any category in 2017.

The Rotary Club of Hamilton AM Young Writers Prizes for Unpublished Writers 16 – 20 years old — if you have never been published you may submit one poem or one short story or one piece of Creative Non-Fiction. Anyone who won a cash prize in 2016 should not enter in any category in 2017.

The unpublished categories are for individuals who have never had a piece of writing professionally published.

The Gillett Reminiscence Prizes for older adults are awarded in a closed competition.

The Short Works Prize is presented in partnership by Bryan Prince Bookseller, the Hamilton Public Library, and Hamilton Arts & Letters magazine. SWP is supported by the Hamilton Spectator. For further information, contact shortworksprize@hpl.ca.